To: You

From: Marisa, Tamara, Jessica & Elizabeth
:)

Street Team

Hi! *waves at everyone*

So... here's something fun! I made a super secret group on Facebook for my NEW street team!

Why do I need a street team?

Well... while writing can be a solitary adventure, I simply cannot do it alone.

I need help, and I'm hoping you'll be part of my SASSY endeavor.

Here's how this works:

1. You read this and think, "Awesome! I want to help Marisa promote her books and the books of her favorite authors."

2. You message me on Facebook. "Add me to your street team!"

3. I add you.

After you're added, you will receive my undying gratitude and ways to win prizes. Very low key, but I'm just getting started.

Sample:

Hi All! Please share my new cover on your Facebook pages.

Then, the cover with the most "Like"s will win a $5 Amazon gift card or a mug or a tee shirt or a tote bag or a beach ball or a book or a box of books or...

Sound like fun?

Message me on Facebook and I'll add you.

As always, thanks for being part of the Sassy Chicks!

xoxo ~Marisa

Interview: Patty Campbell

Hi All!

 

It's Tamara Mataya's week, and she's deep in drafting, crafting, revising, and editing for her New Adult novella available soon!

 

So... we grabbed author Patty Campbell and asked her some questions about her third life... and she's generously offered to giveaway one autographed copy of Jelly's Big Night Out to one random commenter from the U.S., Mexico, or Canada!

 

 

1. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I don't remember ever not wanting to be an author. I still have the first book I wrote at age 6. It's about a brave mouse. My mother saved it and gave it to me before she died. Maybe one day I'll expand it into a children's book.

2. What is your writing schedule like?

It varies, but I usually never miss a day. Right now I'm concentrating on selling my published books, and at the same time trying to sell three more completed manuscripts to agents and publishers. It's a slog. When I focus on a working manuscript I usually start late morning and work until late afternoon, taking a break for lunch and a stretch, then re-introduce myself to my husband at dinner. Then I might get inspired late at night and put in another hour or so. It's sounds like nothing but work, but I'm having a great time.

3. What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time before you were published?

I wish I'd started earlier, but sometimes a career gets in the way.

4. How did you come up with the idea for your book [Once a Marine]?

Over a dozen years ago I saved an article from Los Angeles Times Magazine about a famous family in the fashion industry. For a long time I toyed with the idea of doing a novel about the scion of the family, their only daughter. When I finally started writing the story her executive assistant, BD James, morphed into the main character. The famous daughter became the antagonist. I met a charming man named Rafael Cruz at a reception a couple of years ago. His name inspired me to create my Marine hero. I was so in love with my Rafi it was hard for me to give him to BD.

 

The same magazine article spawned the idea for my first published novel, Jelly's Big Night Out. I often save articles and photos for ideas. I'm also an unrepentant eavesdropper. Just listening to strangers talk sparks a story idea.

5. How long does it take you to write a book?

About eight months once I get past the character sketches, bios and synopsis. Then I confess that I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer. My characters often have ideas of their own.

6. Share with us "The Call" story.

The first "call" was actually an email. I remember staring at the contract offer while holding my breath until I nearly fell out of my chair. Then I was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy and validation. It was several minutes before I could calm down enough to tell my husband the news first - then my critique partners. It's a great feeling - I want every aspiring author to have that experience.

7. How did you get published?

Urk, it's an uphill battle getting published. A well known publisher, whose initials are HQ, had Once a Marine  for over seven months. We went back and forth all during that time, then they finally sent me a rejection. After that I sent it out to so many publishers that I lost count. Finally I offered it to the publisher who'd made that first 'call' with a contract offer for Jelly's Big Night Out, Etopia Press. They immediately got back to me with these words: Once a Marine is wonderful. We want to publish it.

8. Is there an author you haven't met who you'd really like to meet?

So many authors, so little time. I've met some of the greats, including my current favorite Kristin Higgins. What I'd really love is an hour with her, one-on-one. I've exchanged emails with Kristin, and she gave the keynote address at RWA this past summer. She's a great and generous lady, and she writes my kind of book. Books that make you laugh and cry.

9. Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks, or hardcover?

I read them all, but call me old fashioned - my favorite is the paperback. I read in bed at night and the hardcover hits me in the face when I fall asleep. I use my e-reader in the living room and when traveling to read my fellow authors who are published in electronic format only. I'm always reading two books at a time, sometimes three. I read everything from historical fiction to suspense to romance.

10. What do you do when you're not writing?

You mean between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.? I sleep. In reality, I put in a lot of time with my local writing group - Southwest Florida Romance Writers, my critique group, and what's left is family time.

Fast Facts:

Coffee or tea? Coffee with cream. Two cups every morning to start the motor.

Morning or night? I don't function well until about ten in the morning.

Rivers or oceans? I love water in all forms, but favor cold, rushing mountain rivers.

White wine or red? Red. Dark ruby colored, dry and fruity.

Champagne or liquor? Scotch is my poison. Champagne is a guaranteed headache.

Laptop or desktop? Desktop. I need the old 'clicking' keyboard.

Casual or couture? Casual. Couture went to Goodwill when I sold my business.

Ponytail or headband? Neither for me.

Shower or bath? Shower.

Summer or winter? Winter.

Motorcycle or bicycle? I like a man on a motorcycle, but I don't like me on either one.

 

 

Want to read Patty's bio? Click HERE to find out more about her third life (so far).

 

Click HERE to buy ONCE A MARINE from Amazon.

 

Connect with Patty!
http://www.pattycampbell.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/pattycampbell
https://www.goodreads.com/author/6560120.Patty_Campbell
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Campbell-Author/536855299661241
email: patricia@pattycampbell.com

Don't forget to comment for your chance at winning an autographed copy of Jelly's Big Night Out!

Don't know what to say? Ask Patty another question, tell us your favorite genre, or answer one of the Fast Facts for yourself!

 

Fifty Shades of Casting

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson on the cover of Entertainment Weekly 11/22/13
Photo credit: Jessica Lemmon 2013 

While I haven't purposely followed the Fifty Shades of Grey movie casting, it did manage to leak over into my field of vision (as most pop culture does). Whether you're a fan of the kinky love fanfic series or not, how can you not be mildly curious about how Universal Pictures and Focus Features are going to pull this off?

So to speak.

I've only read the first book in the series. And, not to sound like a hipster, but I read it before anyone knew what it was. True story. A friend of mine called and said, "I'm consumed with this book and have no one to talk about it with because no one has read it yet!" (Is that not the funniest thing you've ever heard of now that we know what an EXPLOSION this has been?) Then she offered to "share" it on her Kindle. Yes, it was even shareable at the time. 

I read the book in four days, a combination of what I like to call "appalled and intrigued". I'm not sure if I was intrigued because I was appalled or appalled because I was intrigued. Unlike many who complain about how "badly written" this book is, it didn't bother me in the least. I think it might now that I've been through the rigors of editing my own books, but at the time, as an unpublished reader, it didn't bug me. Also, I read it free from any hype, any preconceived notions, any input from the outside. 

Like the book's lead character, Anastasia, I, too was pure.

While I admit without any shame that I liked the book, I didn't love it. By the end of the book when [SPOILER ALERT] Ana suffers the spankings to end all spankings and leaves Christian [END SPOILER ALERT], I was as fed up as she was. He simply couldn't be redeemed for me at that point. 

I still amend this is a good read if you want to have a pulse on what EVERYONE is talking about, and I very much do. As a professional romance author, all of us in this business owe a huge thanks to E.L. James (if not Stephanie Meyer of Twilight fame who sparked James's novels) for putting romance on the map. Many, many readers have picked up this book and discovered that romance was no longer "only" for grandma and her books-by-mail subscriptions. 

On a personal note, I have Fifty Shades of Thanks to give to James. Because of her very popular novels, Tempting the Billionaire has probably gotten a bit more attention. Billionaires have become all the rage (and as you know if you read Harlequin, they always have been). While I never promised spankings and red rooms of pain, virginal heroines, or a control-freak, hair-pulling hero, readers don't seem to mind. They find my hero, Shane August refreshing. 

Love them or hate them, Fifty Shades has made a mark on our society. Will I check out the movie? You know, I probably will. Especially now that Charlie Hunnam (gratuitous Pinterest board HERE) has declined starring in the film. Thank goodness. This only so much this girl's heart can take.

-----

Jessica Lemmon writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance with a squeeze of humor. She blogs on this site on rotation with the other Sassy Chicks. You can find out more at www.jessicalemmon.com, LIKE her at www.facebook.com/authorjessicalemmon, and tweet her in 140-character bursts on Twitter: @lemmony

Three Ways Thanksgiving Kills My Mojo

by Elizabeth Otto

Three Ways Thanksgiving Kills My Mojo

I rarely take a day off from writing. I’ve been known to type away at inopportune times, like my daughter’s volleyball game, during my husband’s hernia surgery or grandma’s birthday party. I know that I have to meet a certain word count per day to meet deadlines, so I keep going and going no matter what else is going on that day. Because, I have mojo! Holidays pose a particular challenge in keeping with the word count, Thanksgiving specifically because the sheer amount of food and proximity to so many family members just yanks the writing mojo right out of me. Why?

Food Coma: You know that feeling you get when you’ve been out drinking too much, or have a head cold, and your mind is all throbby and thudding around inside your skull? Well, most authors I know can power through most any reason for the dreaded “brain fog” except when it’s been caused by a food coma. Yes, food comas are a much more serious problem. All that turkey, stuffing and pie goes right into the creative centers of the brain and turns off the lights for a nice, long nap. Unfortunately, food comas can last for a couple days, which means my word count is going nowhere. I go ahead and pop the button on my jeans and wait it out—there is no way to reverse a food coma except to wait—and resist more food. Good luck, right?

Pinterest Withdrawal : There is simply no way to stare at all the hot men on my Pinterest boards with that many people around. No way at all. I mean, there are children around for crying out loud. And I can’t write without my visual inspiration, so again, all my efforts to be productive and ogle man candy are thwarted. Thanks, Thanksgiving!

Guilt: My family loves to tell everyone that I’m an author. Since all the relatives are gathered from far and away for Thanksgiving, it only makes sense to shine that spotlight on me in front of relatives I barely remember and people who try to look interested, but really aren’t, and make me talk about my books (it happens every dang year). Which of course gives me anxiety that I’m still sitting there, sipping wine and mulling over whether or not to stuff down one more slice of pie, instead of writing. Then I spend the rest of the evening feeling guilty over my lack of word count, which only increases the guilt I feel for shoving down one more piece of pie…or two. It’s a vicious circle, people.

So, tomorrow, I’ll be cozied up after the festivities with wine and my kindle. I already know that writing anything tomorrow will be out of the question, so I might as well read, right? How do you plan to spend your after-dinner quiet time?

Interview: Mark T Perini

So... this really happened. Jessica and Marisa convinced an international model to visit Hot WIPs & Sassy Chicks! Enjoy and you're welcome!

Hi Mark! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jessica: Do you try to portray the book's character for a cover shoot?

Marisa: Or does someone give you direction? Do you read the arcs before the cover shoot?

Mark: Usually, when I get to a cover shoot all I know is the name of the character and the title of the book. Sometimes they have a comp. (Which is a stock photo that they use for inspiration.) Other times, the art director is there or the editor is there, and they usually give you an overview of the story and the characters arc. I don’t get to read the arcs or anything… I wish I did because there have been a lot of cool shoots I’ve done where I would really have liked to read the book. To be honest, a lot of times I don’t even see the finished product because they are shot a year before the book is actually available in print. Sometimes when I am perusing the bookstore I’ll randomly find a cover I did from a year before that I had forgotten about!

Jessica: I love the idea of you stumbling across yourself at the bookstore. Too cool! How are covers different from your other modeling work?

Mark: Cover modeling is a lot more like acting than modeling is. You have to portray a dynamic character that changes from the start of the book to the end. With print or catalogue modeling, you are portraying yourself in a static moment that the art director has dreamed up.

Jessica: What do you want to be when you grow up? (I, personally, have decided not to grow up.)

Mark: I’m with you Jessica, Neverland forever! I went to school for Business and Spanish, I had always wanted to do international relations or some sort of management consulting. Recently, I started an online custom suiting business called Stature with my cousin, so I’m a part of that. And of course, the modeling stuff has kind of given me the freedom to travel and pursue the things I always wanted to do, like writing. I would like to be a writer forever. I find that it’s freeing and for me has been an amazing creative outlet.

Jessica: When you joined our agency, I bragged how I "knew" an international supermodel. No question here, I just wanted to tell you to feel free to brag about how you know me too. ;)

Mark: Well I’ve “E-met” very few authors. So you are on a very exclusive list in my book as well!

Marisa: ...and what about that one website for that one book where you're wearing only a towel?

Mark: … I’ll point you in the right direction but I won’t give you a direct link! Click HERE to view the Wild Cards Reality Show on YouTube. I shot the cover of Wild Cards, which is an awesome book by Simone Elkeles. I portrayed Derek who is a class clown that doesn’t play by the rules, although he’d rather die than hurt the people he loves. He’s fiercely loyal but he likes to have a good time. When I finished shooting the book cover, Simone contacted me and flew me out to Chicago to film a pilot for Wild Cards. It was an amazing experience; Simone is such a great writer and an awesome person to collaborate with.

Jessica: And where would one get a poster-size--OW! (Marisa just elbowed me.) Okay, okay. I'll be good. Mark, I hear you co-author with Julie Cross. Tell us a little about the book. What's it like to write with someone else?

Mark: Hahahaha… Well, our book Halfway Perfect features eighteen-year-olds Alex and Eve so it’s New Adult, but would fit the mature YA bill just fine, too. Alex is a model on the rise, he’s living and working in NYC full time and his career is skyrocketing. Eve was that model on the brink of stardom two years early, having begun her career at fourteen years old. She vanished from the scene and is now she’s back in NYC as a photography student at Columbia University. When Eve’s photography professor offers her the chance to spend a day on the job with famed photographer, Janessa Fields, an ex-protégé of her professor, Eve doesn’t hesitate to accept this amazing opportunity. In a strange turn of events, Eve finds herself following Janessa onto the set for a Seventeen Magazine shoot. Right back in the world she has so desperately been trying to avoid. To make matters worse, one of the male models agents is none other than Wes Danes — the other half of the torrid love affair that ruined her life the first time.

To be honest working with Julie Cross has been awesome. Writing can be a really lonely undertaking so it was so nice to have someone that is just as invested as you are that you can bounce ideas off. Plus Julie let me in on all of this knowledge about the publishing world that would have taken years to glean on my own. I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be working with her.

 

Marisa: So what’s the major difference between the girls/women you’ve met as a model and the girls/women you meet as a writer?

Mark: Well right off the bat I can say the girls I’ve met being a writer are a bit better read. Honestly, I think there are a lot of similarities with the two professions, maybe more than you would think. But, both offer you a lot of freedom, the ability to be your own boss and are both pretty independent careers.

Jessica: Writing is like modeling? I love this analogy! If you had to write in a genre other than the one you're writing in now, what would it be?

Mark: I would love to write a Sci-Fi, Fantasy book. I grew up reading R.L. Stein, Harry Potter and I really loved the Bartimaeus Trilogy. Something set in a dystopia where the hero has to conquer the monster of government that’s temporarily been put in place to keep the peace. Reading this back I’m just proposing a re-write of 1984. Well that’s why it’s my favorite.


Marisa: How can fans connect with you?

Mark: I am really loving Twitter nowadays @MarkTPerini and I have an author/modeling page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marktperini.

 

 

 

 



Oooooh! Hot WIPs & Sassy Chicks can't wait for Halfway Perfect to release! Yay, Mark and Julie!

xoxo



Huge Announcement!

Hi everyone! Pens & Peonies is now... HOT WIPs & SASSY CHICKS!

Same great authors, same savvy discussions, but we felt this name represented our personalities better. So what are you waiting for? Change your bookmarks, join the site if you haven't yet and get your wine glass, let's dish! ~Jessica